Women with a Story to Tell 5

 More than once, God visited and repeated his covenant promise to Abram (Genesis 12, 15, 17 and 18). We love to recall Abram’s response after the second visit: “And he believed the LORD, and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness” (15: 6). Yet, in the middle of all this, when nothing seemed to be happening, it was difficult to maintain belief. It would be with us as well.

 Sarah had proactively taken steps to obtain a child in a culturally acceptable way. She arranged for Abram to impregnate her handmaid. However, Sarah’s relationship with Hagar was not going well. When Hagar was pregnant with Abram’s child, Sarai complained to Abram: “May the wrong to me be on you! I gave my slave-girl to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!” (16:5). 

 Scripture does not explain the nature of the ‘contempt’ Sarai felt. Was Hagar saying, “Ha. I got pregnant and you didn’t.” Or was she saying, “Why did you do this to me?”

 At any rate, Abram was no fool. He did not try to correct Sarai for making a poor decision. Instead, he said, “Your slave-girl is in your power; do to her as you please.” And Sarai did take out her resentment. “Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she (Hagar) ran away from her” (16: 6). What a mess. Three lives, and soon four, have been adversely affected by Sarai’s impatience with God’s promise.

 Hagar ran until she could run no more. Soon the angel of the Lord found her and asked the question that we all have to answer someday: “Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?”  (16: 7). This is certainly worth reflecting on every once in a while. 

 The question recognizes Hagar’s position, and it is not a good one. She is a slave, she has been poorly treated, and now she is a fugitive. Has God forsaken her? Apparently not since, in her darkest hour, God has shown up and comforted her.

 In this case, not in every case, the angel’s instructions for her were to “Return to your mistress and submit to her” (16: 8). Then the angel added something that revealed Hagar’s place in God’s larger plan. Speaking with God’s voice, the angel said, “I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude” (16: 10).

 Hagar had run away, but not far enough. She unexpectedly encountered God. It turns out that she is not abandoned, nor is she forgotten. This personal experience with God so impressed her that she said, “You are El-Roi, (God who sees me).” She was so changed by the experience that she wondered, “Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?” (16: 13-14).

 Hagar obeyed God, returned to Sarai and Abram, and gave birth to their son, Ishmael. This was not the end of the story, but Hagar played the part that was given to her. She was obedient to God even though her situation was not ideal, and even though she was not the star of this story. 

 Can we be obedient to God even though we do not fully understand what God is up to? I hope so because God’s ways are beyond understanding. That is, most of the time we cannot connect the dots. Sometimes, when we are older (like in our 80s) we are able to catch a glimpse of what God was doing when a circle is completed. That is, when we meet an old acquaintance and discover what the relationship did to improve their relationship with God and our relationship with God. A glimpse is enough because God is still at work, and all will be revealed later.